Call processing system

• US 20060093123A1
• Filed: 12/16/2005
• Published: 05/04/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Assurant Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Assurant Incorporated
• Inventors: Thompson, Charles, Becerra, Manuel, McMillan, Glenn
• Granted Patent: US 7,593,521 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/265.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5166 in combination with interactive voice response systems or voice portals, e.g. as front-ends
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5233 Operator skill based call distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5235 Dependent on call type or called number [DNIS]

Abstract

A system that is configured for determining the value of one or at least one incoming call and routing the call for processing based on this determined value. In one embodiment, the system routes very low value calls to an automated system for processing, and directs all other calls to human operators for processing. In another embodiment, the system assigns at least one agent to one or more of a plurality of groups of agents based on the agent'"'"'s past performance in executing a particular task. For example, the highest performing agents at handling a particular type of call are assigned to a first group, and the second highest performing agents at handling this type of call are assigned to a second group. In one embodiment, the most important calls are routed to the first, “highest performing” group for processing, and less important calls are routed to the second group for processing.

Claims

1. A call processing system that is configured for:

determining an expected economic value that is expected to be derived from performing one or more tasks in connection with an incoming call;

assessing a priority of said incoming call based on said expected economic value;

using said assessed priority to determine whether to route said incoming call to an automated call processing system; and

in response to determining to route said incoming call to an automated call processing system, routing said call to said automated processing system.

2. The call processing system of claim 1, wherein said call processing system is configured to receive said incoming call.

3. A call processing system that is configured for:

receiving data related to an incoming call;

assigning a priority value to said incoming call based on said data; and

using said priority value to determine whether to route said incoming call to a live agent or to an automated call processing system for handling.

4. The call processing system of claim 3, wherein said data may be used to estimate the value of said incoming call.

5. The call processing system of claim 3, wherein said priority value is based, at least in part, on a predicted economic value associated with performing one or more tasks in connection with said incoming call.

6. A call processing system that is configured for:

receiving information related to an incoming call;

using said information to determine whether it would be beneficial to have a human representative handle said incoming call; and

in response to determining that it would not be beneficial to have a human representative handle said incoming call, routing said call to an automated call processing system.

7. A call processing system that is configured for:

assessing the importance of an incoming call, said call being made by a particular customer; and

routing said incoming call to a particular group of agents for processing based on said importance of said incoming call,

wherein at least one particular agent within said group of agents has been assigned to said group of agents based on said particular agent'"'"'s past performance in completing one or more particular tasks.

8. The call processing system of claim 7, wherein said particular group of agents consists of one agent.

9. The call processing system of claim 7, wherein said particular group of agents comprises a plurality of agents.

10. The call processing system of claim 7, wherein said one or more particular tasks comprises persuading one or more customers to purchase a particular product or service.

11. The call processing system of claim 7, wherein said one or more particular tasks comprises persuading one or more customers to purchase an alternative service or product.

12. A call processing system that is configured for:

assessing the importance of an incoming call; and

routing said incoming call to a particular group of agents for processing based on said importance of said incoming call, wherein at least one particular agent within said group of agents has been assigned to said group of agents based, at least in part, on said particular agent'"'"'s sales rate performance.

13. A call processing system that is configured for:

assessing the importance of an incoming call; and

routing said incoming call to a particular group of agents for processing based on said importance of said incoming call, wherein at least one particular agent within said group of agents has been assigned to said group of agents based, at least in part, on said particular agent'"'"'s sold revenue rate performance.

14. A method of routing a call for processing, said method comprising:

identifying, from a plurality of agents, a group of one or more highest performing agents who are among the highest performing agents within said plurality of agents at performing at least one task;

assessing the value of a particular call; and

determining whether to route said particular call to said group of “

highest performing agents”

for processing based on said assessed value of said particular call.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said call is an incoming call.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein said call is an outgoing call.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising routing said particular call to said group of “

highest performing agents”

in response to determining that said particular call is a relatively high-value call.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein said at least one task comprises persuading a customer not to cancel a service.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein said at least one task comprises persuading a customer to purchase a product or service.

20. A method of routing calls comprising:

assigning a first performance rating to a first agent;

assigning a second performance rating to a second agent;

assigning a third performance rating to a third agent;

in response to said first performance rating being above a pre-determined first threshold value, assigning said first agent to a first group of agents;

in response to said second performance rating being below a pre-determined second threshold value, assigning said second agent to a second group of agents;

in response to said third performance rating being below said first threshold value and above said second threshold value, assigning said third agent to a third group of agents;

determining a value of a call; and

routing a call to a selected one of said first, second, third groups of agents based, at least in part, on said value of said call.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein at least one of said first, second, or third performance ratings corresponds to an agent'"'"'s ability to persuade a customer to retain a service.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein at least one of said first, second, or third performance ratings corresponds to an agent'"'"'s past performance in persuading a customer to purchase a product or service.

23. A method of routing a correspondence for processing, said method comprising:

identifying, from a plurality of agents, a group of one or more “

higher performing”

agents who are among the highest performing agents within said plurality of agents at performing at least one task;

assessing the value of a particular correspondence; and

determining whether to route said particular correspondence to said group of “

higher performing agents”

for processing based on said assessed value of said particular correspondence.

24. A method of routing a call for processing, said method comprising the steps of:

(A) assessing the past performance of a first agent in performing one or more tasks;

(B) assessing the past performance of a second agent in performing said one or more tasks;

(C) comparing said past performance of said first agent with said past performance of said second agent;

(D) in response to determining that said past performance of said first agent is better than said past performance of said second agent;

(1) assigning said first agent to a first group of agents, and (2) assigning said second agent to a second group of agents;

(E) assigning a first call value to a first call in a queue of calls;

(F) assigning a second call value to a second call in said queue of calls;

(G) comparing said first call value with said second call value;

(H) determining whether said first agent is available to handle said first call;

(I) in response to determining that said first call value is greater than said second call value and that said first agent is available to handle said first call, routing said first call to said first agent for handling; and

(J) in response to determining that said first call value is greater than said second call value and that said first agent is not available to handle said first call, routing said first call to said second agent for handling.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising the step of:

(K) in response to determining that said first call value is greater than said second call value and that neither said first agent nor said second agent is available to handle said first call, routing said first call to an automated call processing system for handling.

26. A call processing system that is configured for:

determining which particular one of a plurality of calls in a queue of calls is the most important of said calls;

assessing the past performance of a first agent in completing one or more tasks;

assessing the past performance of a second agent in completing said one or more tasks;

comparing said past performance of said first agent with said past performance of said second agent;

based on said comparing step, determining that said past performance of said first agent was better than said past performance of said second agent;

determining whether said first agent is available to take said most important call;

in response to determining that said first agent is available to take said most important call, routing said most important call to said first agent for handling; and

in response to determining that said first agent is not available to take said most important call, routing said most important call to said second agent for handling.

27. A call processing system that is configured for:

assessing the past performance of a third agent in completing said one or more tasks;

comparing said past performance of said third agent with said past performance of said first agent and said past performance of said second agent;

based on said comparing step, determining that said past performance of said third agent was not as good as said past performance of said first agent, and was also not as good as said past performance of said second agent;

determining whether said second agent is available to take said most important call;

in response to determining that said first and second agents are not available to take said most important call, routing said most important call to said third agent for handling.

28. A call processing system comprising:

determining which particular one of a plurality of calls in a queue of calls is the most important of said calls;

assessing the past performance of a first agent in completing one or more tasks;

assessing the past performance of a second agent in completing said one or more tasks;

comparing said past performance of said first agent with said past performance of said second agent;

based on said comparing step, determining that said past performance of said first agent was better than said past performance of said second agent;

in response to determining that said past performance of said first agent was better than said past performance of said second agent, routing said most important call to said first agent for handling; and

in response to said first agent not handling said call within a pre-determined period of time after said most important call has been routed to said first agent for handling, re-routing said most important call to said second agent for handling.

29. The call processing system of claim 28, further comprising:

assessing the past performance of a third agent in completing said one or more tasks;

comparing said past performance of said third agent with said past performance of said first agent and said past performance of said second agent;

based on said comparing step, determining that said past performance of said third agent was not as good as said past performance of said first agent, and was also not as good as said past performance of said second agent;

in response to said second agent not handling said call within a pre-determined period of time after said most important call has been routed to said second agent for handling, re-routing said most important call to said third agent for handling.